1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates, generally, to computer-based online information registry and exchange, and, more particularly, to moderated online networking services.
2. Description of Related Art
Online dating or Internet dating is a dating system which allows individuals, couples, and groups to make contact and communicate with each other over the Internet, usually with the objective of developing a personal relationship. Online dating services usually provide un-moderated matchmaking over the Internet, through the use of personal computers or cell phones. Online dating services generally require a prospective member to provide criteria about the desired match before the service provider can search the service provider's database for individuals who match the criteria set by the prospective member. The criteria may include age range, gender, and location. As such, searching according to a generic criterion may return a large group of members.
A variation of the online dating model has emerged in the form of introduction sites. Introduction sites differ from the traditional online dating model by introducing members to other members, whom the site deems compatible, thus claiming to eliminate much of the mayhem of traditional online dating.
Finally, professional networking and social networking services allow each user to connect to a list of business associates or friends. Typically, in professional and social networking, the larger the number of associates or friends of each user, the greater the bragging rights of the user. Therefore, these sites also allow each user to view the contacts of the other users, who are linked to the user, in the hopes of enlarging his network.
Online dating is fraught with issues arising from dishonesty. Online predators, pretending to be someone they are not, and bait profiles, set up by the online dating service to attract clients, are two examples of problems associated with online dating services.
A suspect date or contact may be investigated to some degree using the internet as well. Online services also include companies that provide background checks regarding a person of interest. Such services mine the public records for previous names and addresses of the person and other personal data such as the date of birth of the person. These services may also provide the names of parents and siblings of the person being checked.
Both online dating and professional and social networking have real world counterparts. A person may meet a potential mate or be introduced to her at a party or elsewhere in the brick and mortar world and a professional may form a potentially productive association with another professional at a trade show or a conference. The real world counterpart of online background check services is asking a common friend or acquaintance about the person he has just met.